Warm Sockets

Are You Getting That Warm Feeling In Your Sockets?

And What Should You Do About It?

We're all accustomed to our modern conveniences, and most homes are packed with all manner of electronic devices plugged into various outlets and power strips. But because were used to power always being present, we often neglect to perform routine safety checks around the home.
And one of the most important ones for ensuring the security of your homes electrical systems is touching your sockets or switches to feel if they are warm. Because if they are, you could be facing some problems.

Diagnosing Your Warm Plug

To be clear, a warm socket doesnt mean you have a pending electrical failure or fire hazard. It does mean that something is happening, and you should pay attention to it. There are six basic reasons why a plug or socket is warm  and they build upon each other in terms of intensity and level of concern:

1. The Wall Wart is Working

Having a charger, modem, or basic electronic device plugged in can make a socket feel warm. Simply remove the plug from the socket, and then wait a half an hour and it should cool down.

2. Too Much Demand at the Wall

You might just have too many plugs in one socket, maybe you are using a multi socket power strip. They may be convenient, but you have to watch how much energy theyre drawing. You just might need to unplug a few items and place them somewhere else.

3. Damaged Wiring

Loose terminals or wiring inside a socket or switch will generate extra heat simply because of the flow of electricity. Such issues should be corrected immediately.

4. Broken Infrastructure

If the visible parts of a switch or plug are broken or it is discoloured from heat, replace the entire thing immediately and use the opportunity to investigate the larger system.

5. Too Much Demand on the Circuit

Depending upon how your electrical wiring was designed, you might have an excessive amount of current flowing to a switch or socket. You probably need to rewire the circuits so all the plugs and switches in a given room arent on the same circuit, and thats not a DIY home improvement project. Call in a professional electrician for help.

6. Incorrectly Sized Fuse or Breaker

Such an issue will typically occur in an older home that hasnt experienced any recent code updates. Basically, older electrical systems simply arent rated to handle the demand load of modern electronics, so if your outlets and switches are warm, it might be time to upgrade your electrical wiring across the board.

What should I do next?

When you get that warm feeling in a socket do everything possible to minimize any risk of an electrical fire. If limiting the number of items plugged into the outlet doesn't eliminate the trouble, or if you find damage or loose wiring, it's safest to call in an electrician to assess and correct the issues: contact us and we can find out what is wrong very quickly

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